China finally approves Google’s purchase of Motorola, but with one condition

Google’s acquisition of Motorola has seen a long process since it was first announced last August. The purchase has been given green light by the US and Europe, but China was taking its sweet time considering said acquisition. After a long wait, China has decided to approve said acquisition, but with one condition.

China has asked Google to keep Android free to other manufacturers for at least five years. This is to ensure that Google is not trying to monopolize the Android OS by only allowing Motorola to use the software freely.

Google and Motorola have both stated that there will be no major changes after the acquisition. Both companies will continue to run as they have been, and the main reason for this acquisition is Motorola’s large patent portfolio. According to Google, these patents will aid the Search Giant in protecting Android and its manufacturers from the patent wars.

With this victory, Google is now able to finalize the deal and it is expected to be closed next week. Only time will tell what changes we might see, but let’s hope good conclusions come out of this acquisition.

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Hasn’t Google already plainly stated that they will keep Android open source and free for everyone like it has been?

Craig Nelson

I guess China was skeptical.There are still people that are still Skeptical

jawman

Surprised someone is even asking that question.
Anyone can say anything. Saying and doing are totally different things. Didn’t Obama say that Obamacare wouldn’t add a cent to the deficit? Didn’t Bush say that Iraq had WMDs?
In the real world, it’s good to be skeptical.

James Power

lol, way off topic, but yes – Obamacare wouldn’t add to the deficit except that parts of it (raising taxes on the top brackets) were blocked by the GOP.

It’s still going to lower federal costs over the long term, just not as much in the short term.

jawman

This is nor the time or place, but no, it is absolutely not. Where have you been the last 3 months?
I was simply making a comparison that people, corporations, businesses, groups, etc. can easily say something but never actually do what they say. If all China wants is for Google to maintain Android being free post Motorola purchase for 5 years, nothin’ wrong with that.

shonangreg

You’re right, jawman, this is not the place. But you were the one who went down this path.

Trying to use an analogy from something controversial like politics to illustrate a technical point is generally never going to help. You automatically turn off half your readers, and the other half might to agree with you no matter how bad your analogy.

Jayshmay

Duh China Android alllways has been free,…alllways will be!!! Duh!!!!

zuuno

i think this is a fair-enough requirement.

fahim5130

yep i thought it was going to be a selfish request but well done to china.

Dean Cory

Fantastic! China quits being a jerk.

But Motorola can’t import phones, and it ain’t like they build them here…

http://xboxero.com nick

I’m sure Google will push for better Motorola smartphones, since their name is tied up to them now. Something to compete with the Galaxy. I wanna see a Motorola nexus maybe

Jason Crumbley

Hopefully they will put out decent phones to more than just Verizon.

metalron

oo yes a Razr Nexus Maxx, a smaller bezel with timely updates!

SiloNova

Updates will always come at some point. Build quality for other phones will never come. I’m just glad my RAZR isn’t made out of flimsy plastic…

Anyjews, it would be nice to see Motorola’s flagship phone be featured at the front of Google’s line and represent the Nexus brand. I’ve never liked the look of that Samsung Nexus phone. Maybe Motorola could make a killer design of it.

fahim5130

i hope they use motorola to create nexus devices, so they have much more control over the product they create.like samsung will obviously put more effort into their galaxy range than the nexus.

http://xboxero.com nick

By the way why does an American corporation have to be approved by foreign gov, specially since Motorola is also american?? Anybody??

Jason Crumbley

Because they do business there, or something like that.

adi19956

they are both multinational companies (MNCs) and seek the approval of other countries and areas especially the EU and China because they are huge markets. China has huge potential.
It would be awful if they bought Motorola without seeking approval and China banned them from operating there, you seen China and Google’s relationship?

Also Google floats on the Frankfurt Stock Exchange so EU approval was vital

No_Nickname90

This tickles me. LoL!! Why does China not believe Google? Of course they were going to stay open. I REFUSE to use a locked down MoTo-phone. Although I envy the Droid 4. LoL!!

Larizard

Google has seen this and preemptively leaked the multi-partner Nexus program. With Samsung, Motorola, HTC, Sony, and Asus having access to Jelly Bean at the same time, Google will finally tackle the fragmentation problem head on with multiple Nexus devices out in consumers’ hands.

And in the process, they will succeed in revealing the real culprits all along—the US carriers.

Jason Purp

China just wants Google to keep Android free so those crappy iPhone knockoffs can keep on coming

maximillion82

Its not a bad idea a free Android gives many smaller hardware manufacturers the chance to compete head on with the big ones like Apple and Nokia, it also helps the Android platform overall, if not free more manufacturers would make WP7 devices instead of Android. Google said android is open and free and they will honour that, nit because China asked for it, but because it’s good for Android.